Steam-turbine.



A. G. VAUGLAIN.

STEAM TURBINE. APPLIOATIONIILED DEG-13. 1912.

Patented Aug. 12, "1913.

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A10. VAUGLAIN.

STEAM TURBINE. APPLICATION FILED DEO.13. 1912.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

4- SHEETS$HEET 2.

A. U. VAUOLAIN. STEAM TURBINE.

AP' IIIIIIIIIIIIIII 30.13.1912, 1,070,309, Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

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A. 0. VAUCLAIN.

v STEAM TURBINE.

APiLIOATION FILED DEO.1 3. 1912. V 7 7 09 Patented Aug.12,1913.

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ANDREW' C. -.VAUCLAI 0F IEHILADELPI-EIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TOSOUTH- 'WARK ronrmrsr & M,ACH INE 00., or RATION or .rnnnsznvnnra.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPS- STEM-TURBINE.

Specification of Lettersiatent. jPatented Aug-.12, 1913,

,-4.p 1ieetion filed Recenter 3.3, 912. SeriabNo. $36,567.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW! C. VAUGLAIN, :1- cit-izen-of-the UnitedStates, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Steam-Turbines, of which the following is aspecification.

.Cllheobject of my invention is "to improve the construction. of thediaphragnis of steam turbines so asto. dispense with all parts which areliable to become loose and con- I seqnently cause damageto the workingelemerits.

'llrly invention further relates to certain details of constructionwhich will be fully described hereinafter, reference .being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is a longitudinalsectionalView of a steam turbine illustrating my invention; Fig. 2, is anenlarged-face View of one ofthe diaphragms; Fig. 3, is a sectional;view-0n the line aa, Fig. 2; Fig. 4, is a; sectional view onthe'line'?)-b,'Fig. 2; .Fig. 5, is I-SiBCtiODZLl view cnthelinec--0,'Itig. g Fig. 6, is a sectional View on theiline (.Z-d.', Fig. :2;llig. 7, is a-perspective view of a; diaphragm with 'one of the sectionsremoved; Fig. 8, is a. sectional perspective view on the line 00, Fig.4; Fig. 9, is alseotional perspective view on the same line? -as Fig.8,showingthe blades after-the casting is made and -befor'e:finishing; Fig.10,; is a detached perspective View ofoneof thei blades; Fig. '11, 1S aface view-eta dia-} phragm showingthe blades located 'in-t-he diaphragniand not in a segment; 12,; is a section onthe line-ee, *Fig. 11; Fig.513, is a sectional viewshowing a blade cast; permanently-indiediaphragm; :Fig. 1 4, is, a perspective view of the blade shown in; Fig.13; Fig. 15, is a sectional viewillus-z trating a modification; and@Fig. 16, is a view showing a modification of the segment.

Referring to the drawings, '1 is. the-base on which the turbinestmctureis mounted.

2-is the-casing eonta-iningthe steam inlet and-exhaust passagesii andJ iand mounted on this casing are the bearings :for :the turbine shaft 6.lhese bearings .oan'be made -in any manner without departing from theessential features ofmyinvention. The-cylinder l7 of the casing containsthe zhr agnis 8 and the rotors-9. "These rotors are secured to the shaftand niay be Inadeinany suitable manner as my inven tionrelatesparticularly to the diaphragms whiehform thecompartments in whichthe rotors travel. These diaphragms have flanges 10 lat-each side, inthe present instance, .andonefiange abuts another; thus spacing theseveral diaphragms a given distance apart. The flanges of the diaphragmsmaybe on one side only, if found desirable.

The cylinder is preferably bored in steps, as showniniFig. 1, and-thediaphragms are placed in the cylinder and are secured therein in anysuitable manner. The cylinder, iii-seine: types ofturbines, may be of aneven diameter throughout. .Eaeh diaphragm has passages. therein for thesteam and the rotors have blades against which the, steamimpinges-asit-escapes through the passages; causing the-rotors and-theshaft to revolve. The passages inithe diaphragms are of less area at theinlet end-than at-the exhaust end of the turbine. This-is common inturbines wvhere a series of rotors are used.

fReferring particularly to Figs. 2-to 10 inelusive/the diaphragm 8ismade'in two parts 11 and 12. Themeetingedge-of each of thesexpartsisgrooved toreceive arib on a connecting strip 218, Fig. 6, which maybeattached to one of said parts. The diaphragm is turned complete while inone piece and is then cut in half, as-indicated in Fig. 2. The cuttingtool displaces a-given amount of metalwhiehlis equal to the thicknessofthe strip 13 so that when the strip is in'position the diaphragm is ofthe same sizeithat it was before-the cutting. Each diaphragm is notchedat the periphery as indicated at.14,Fig. 7, and a segment 15 is insertedinit-he notch. The tongue 17-011 the segment fits a groove-.17 inthe'reccssed por tion. ofthe diaphragm 8 andisheld I therein bythecylinder 7, when t-hediaphragm is in place therein. Ineach segment is asteam passage 16;-and While Iihave indicated in FigsQ, and 7 adiaphragmihaving'four segmental sections, :the :first .diapln'agm willhave a single section ofylimited area. The last diaphragm at'the exhaustend will have the four segments .fiIldlthG. openings in thesefoursegments Will-:be substantially the full length of the segments aswell-asthe full Width 1 there fin the segment 15 arepartitions 18 whichextend across the passage 16 and form nozzles. These partitions aremade, in the present instance, as illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, and .0, andhave a curved. and a straight portion which form the nozzles for thepassage of the steam through the diaphragm when they are all assembled,as shown in the drawings. The partitions 18 are made of sheet metal, in'the present instance, bent into shape and east in the segments 15, Fig.9. The ends of these partitions, which extend into the castings; arepreferably coated with black lead, or other suitable material, sothatthe castin s will not adhere to the metal of,

the partitions. Thus, while the partitions are rigidly held in positionas regards lateral movement, they can expand and contract longitudinallyin the casting. I preferably make these partitions 18 removable andshape them as illustrated in Fig. 10. One end of each partition isreduced to form a tongue '19 and the other end is perforated at 20, byreducing the inner ends of the partitions. I connect the metal. of thecasting between each partition at the edges of the blades, thusstrengthening the casting. After the casting is made, the partitions arewithdrawn by inserting ,a' tool in the opening 20 of each partition,after which the side walls of a passage 16 are machined smooth. The endsof the tongues are cut oil to an amount equal to the metal. removcdfromone side or" the passage 16, after which the partitions are againinserted in the segment. When the partitions have been fitted in place,the projecting end is removed, as in Fig. 8. These partitions are heldin position in the segments by the cylinder or casing when thediaphragins are placed in position.

While I prefer to make the partitions of such a length that they extendthrough the outer wall of the segments, in some instances, they mayextend only a short distance into each wall, as in Fig. 13, which makesthem permanentwith the casting and not removable.

Where the blades are permanently seated in the castings, both ends maybe reduced, but where the partition extends through the wall. as in Fig.5, then the width at this wall cannot be reduced.

"v'hile l have shown the steam passages in the segments which aremounted in the diaphragm, in some instances the diaphragm. may be atwith the stca m passages therein, as in Fi 11 and 12. in this case theblades are inserted in the mold for the diaphragm they would be in ertedin the mold for the segments. l may also make the segment 8, which isusually bolted onto the casing and has the first steam 'iassage therein,Fig- 1, in the same manner as the segments which are inserted in thediaphragm. I may also mil -mothe partitions 18 formed of the bentmorocco plates of less width than the diaphragm. or segment, as in Fig.15, to reinforce that portion of the metal of the diaphragm or segmentlocated between the partitions and the flange may be on one side only,as shown.

While I have shown a rib on the segment adapted to a groove in thediaphragm, a rib may ,be formed on the diaphragm adapted to a groove inthe segment, and, in some instances, the joint between the segment andthe diaphragm may be made plain, if found desirable.

While I prefer to make the diaphragm in a. singlecasting and to cut itin half, machining the abutting edges fin some instances, the, segmentsmay be cast in twoequal parts and the abutting edges finished; thesections being secured together by bolts or other fastenings or held inplace by the casing.

In Fig. 16, I have shown a modification of the segments in which thepartitions extend through the inner wall and only extend into the outerwall for a short distance; the par titions being held in place by thediaphragm in this instance.

It will be seen from the above construction that a very substantialdiaphragm for steam turbines is made. Also that there are no loose artswhich are liable to become detached w ile the turbine is in motion. Thediaphragm can be substantially made and, as the partitions are cast intothe diaphragm or a segment during the process of manufacture (beingproperly spaced prior to casting) their location is assured so that theycannot be displaced after once in position.

In the construction illustrated in. the drawings it, for any reason, oneof the partitions should be injured; that partition can be quicklyremoved and another inserted; making it possible to keep in stockpartitions of the proper length and shape to fit the several diaphragms.

By making the diaphragm with recesses and providing segmentalsectionsadapted to the recesses, the sections can be readily handledduring the process of manufacture and when it is necessary to assemblethe parts in the cylinder, this can be quickly accomplished.

I claim:

1. The combination in a steam turbine, of a casing; a diaphragm thereinhaving a steam passage; with partitions extending across the saidpassage andremovable longitudinally from the diaphragm.

2. The combination in a steam turbine, ot a casing; a diaphragm thereinhaving a steam passage, with partitions of greater length than the widthof the passage; and having their ends located in the diaphragm but notattached thereto.

3. The combination of a diaphragm for steam turbines, recessed at theperiphery; a segment mounted in the recess and having a portions of thepartitions extending into the casting being held firmly therein a ainstlateral movement, but free to move ongitudinally to a limited extent. 7'5. The combination in a turbine engine, of a diaphra'gm having a steampassage therein; partitions extending across the pas sage; saidpartitions beingm'ade of sheet metal and extending through the outerwall and removable from the diaphragm.

6. The combination in a turbine engine, of a diaphragm; a segmentmounted in-the diaphragm and having a steam assage therein; partitionsextending across t e,pas-' sage and through one wall thereof and re- 1movable therefrom.

7 The combination in a steam'tu'rbine, of

a diaphragm having steam passages'therein; partitions separating thesteam passages; said partitions radiating from a common center andextending into the walls of the recess forming the steam passages andextending through the outer wall and removable from the casting so that,after the'casting is made with the partitions in place, the partitionscan be removed and the walls of the steam passages machined and thepartitions reinserted.

8. The combination in a steam turbine, ot a diaphragm having a steampassage therein; a series of partitions extendingacross the steampassage and embedded in the diaphragm; one end of the partitionsextending through the Wall of the diaphragm, the other end being reducedin Width so as to form a tongue.

9. A partition for the diaphragm of a turbine engine, consisting of asheet metal plate bent transversely and having a tongue atdone'end and.perforated at the opposite en 10. The combinationiin -a steam turbine,of p a two-part diaphragm, each part having a .groove at the meetingface; with a filling stri mounted between the'two parts and vhavingtongues adapted to'the grooves.

11. The combination in a steam turbine, of a cylinder; a series of diahragms, having lateral flanges at the perip ery, located in the cylinderso that one-flange abuts an other; a shaft, with rotors mounted thereon,between the diaphragms; blades on the rotors; steam pamages in the diahr'agms; and partitions therein dividing t e steam passages and held inplace by the cylinder.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name tothis specification, in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses,

ANDREW c. vAucLAin' Witnesses Y WM. E. HUPE, WM. A, BARR.

Copie: or this patent may be obtained for jive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

. i Washington, I). G. v

